The OCES is delighted to announce its partnership with a new organisation to develop awareness of Nepalese culture at Bournemouth University and in the Community.

The UK - Nepal Friendship Society [UKNFS] was launched on April 12th on the occasion of the celebration of Nepalese New Year's Eve 2069 at the Gurkha 2 restaurant (Boscombe). Images from the event are included below a) VIP guests at their table, and an image of the Mayor of Bournemouth Councillor Chris Rochester, Ram Hari Adhikari UKNFS Secretary and Project Lead with Alan Mercel-Sanca and SEb Gray (UKNFS Vice-chair and Treasurer respectively):

At the event Professor Chris Shiel, Director of Bournemouth University's Centre for Global Perspectives, joined with other VIP’s including senior figures from the Nepal UK Embassy and European-level Nepalese representational organisations, the Mayor and Mayoress of Bournemouth, the Chief Officer of the Dorset Race Equality Council, and representative of the Dorset Healthcare University Foundation Trust [DHUFT].

The UKNFS aims to preserve Nepalese culture for the UK Nepalese community, work with the Gurkha community, promote international study, tourism and vocational activities and initiatives between the UK and Nepal; to enhance the quality of life and access to UK public services of the Nepali community in the UK, and to promote greater awareness in the UK about key facets of Nepalese culture such as Ayuveda, Buddhist history and origins, Yoga, Nepalese/Indian philosophies, and broader natural and creative/arts heritages of Nepal.

More information about the UKNFS will beprovided soon, including the development of information resources about some of the aspects of Nepalese culture highlighted above.